One-Pot Reaction Involving Two Different Amines and Formaldehyde Leading to the Formation of Poly(Macrocyclic) Cu(II) Complexes

New polynuclear poly(hexaaza macrocyclic) copper(II) complexes $[1](ClO_4)_{2n}{\cdot}(H_2O)_{2n}$, $[2](ClO_4)_{2n}{\cdot}(H_2O)_{2n}$, and $[3](ClO_4)_{2n}{\cdot}(H_2O)_{2n}$ have been prepared by the one-pot reaction of formaldehyde with ethylenediamine and 1,2-bis(2-aminoethoxy)ethane, 1,3-diaminopropane, or 1,6-diaminohexane in the presence of the metal ion. The polymer complexes contain fully saturated 14-membered hexaaza macrocyclic units (1,3,6,8,10,13-hexaazacyclotetradecane) that are linked by $N-(CH_2)_2-O-(CH_2)_2-O-(CH_2)_2-N$, $N-(CH_2)_3-N$, or $N-(CH_2)_6-N$ chains. The mononuclear complex $[Cu(H_2L^5)](ClO_4)_4$ ($H_2L^5$ = a protonated form of $L^5$) bearing two $N-(CH_2)_2-O-(CH_2)_2-O-(CH_2)_2-NH_2$ pendant arms has also been prepared by the metal-directed reaction of ethylenediamine, 1,2-bis(2-aminoethoxy)ethane, and formaldehyde. The polymer complexes were characterized employing elemental analyses, FT-IR and electronic absorption spectra, molar conductance, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron micrograph (SEM). Electronic absorption spectra of the complexes show that each macrocyclic unit of them has square-planar coordination geometry with a 5-6-5-6 chelate ring sequence. The polymer complexes as well as $[Cu(H_2L^5)]^{4+}$ are quite stable even in concentrated $HClO_4$ solutions. Synthesis and characterization of the polynuclear and mononuclear copper(II) complexes are reported.